Japanese label Julius has been one of the originators in the gothninja look for some time. Their signature are their razor thin distressed leather jackets styled in a fashion that strikes between industrial and rock n roll. While the look has now been diffused down to countless new labels and store shelves, Julius remains one of the best doing it if you like your clothes dark ,drapey and raw. This coveted write-up comes via contributor Zachary Leachman who is an Illinois based artist and musician. See the rest of the write-up and more photos after the jump.

We got a special post for fans of Ricky Owens today. In a previous roundup I selected the RO bomber as one of the top MA-1 designs out and today regular contributor Alex N has written the below detailed review about his personal version of the jacket from the Spring/Summer 2011 collection ‘Anthem’.

I found this piece after feeling defeated that the other Rick Owens bomber I’d been eyeing on some consignment shop’s website was sold out. I was browsing through all of the Rick pieces up for auction, and saw this, and it was definitely meant to be. I bought it instantly and within a week, I finally had in my possession a true “grail” piece.

Rick’s bombers had always been up there for me. The proportions and detailing were all so sleek and perfect. This piece in particular, from “Anthem” Spring/Summer 2011, is in cotton twill with satin lining. Lightweight and comfortable, fitting on me just so slightly oversized that I could fit a cardigan or sweater underneath, to stay warm in fall/winter as well.

The jacket features two vast interior pockets, two exterior front pockets, and two arm pockets, all using super substantial Raccagni zippers. The interior pockets are deep enough to fit a regular sized book, notepad, or small tablet. The arm zippers are actually functioning pockets which are deep enough to hide a pack of cigarettes, vape, phone or even a personal stash.

The carrying strap is a feature of most Rick jackets, and personally my favorite feature of any piece of outerwear. Such a simple concept that gets used over and over again; a convenience that is well over-looked by many. Another of my favorite aspects is the intricate seaming on the arms, there is a gusset on the underarm that extends to the entire forearm.

This has been my everyday jacket ever since I got it, and it will continue to be my everyday jacket until it gets torn apart in a freak accident or something. Actually, I would just piece it back together and continue wearing it regardless of its condition.

It’s been a while since we’ve done a ‘Coveted’ feature here at Third Looks. Personally I’m always interested in seeing archival gear and standout pieces from collections by my favorite designers. While there’s those items that you obessess over with that become grails, there are also items that you never intended on buying which eventually become your favorites. Those are the ones you might find at a consignment shop like Tokio 7 in New York just browsing or something you spot through a browser search late night while suffering bouts of insomnia. I’m happy to post this rare Junya Watanabe women’s piece. I know he had some great pieces so I asked him to share how he came across this particular jumper and how his appreciation for it has grown since owning it.

This piece wasn’t really anything that I had been searching for, so in the traditional sense, it was not something I had ‘coveted’ for a while. One of my good friends actually sent me the link of the Rakuten listing, and when I had seen it, I knew I had to have it. I bought it about five minutes after seeing the listing for the first time. I think it was really love at first sight.

Upon receiving it, I was actually amazed at how heavy the package was. The fabric is heavy cotton, with heavy metal loop attachments and “backpack” straps. My favorite detail though is that the straps on the sleeves and the back are actually adjustable, you can pull the fabric up the length of the strap and fasten it with the buckle in order to producing an effect that is reminiscent to ruching. Despite this sweater being a women’s piece, it still is probably one of the most worn pieces in my wardrobe.

This is one piece that I get asked about most often, most likely due to the lunacy of it. It’s neither sensible nor practical, but sometimes you just can’t help deriving emotion from a creation – of which this is an example – and feel you must have it regardless of what you will be doing with it once you have it. This process is probably in contrast to most consumer behaviour in the industry, especially when the goal of a buyer is to purvey pieces that people will wear and buy. Lucky for us, there are people like Desiree Heiss and Ines Kaag (of Bless) that continue to experiment with ourperception of fashion in their work, rather than to sell to a commercial image.

The first time I saw this jacket was when my good friend Laurence aka internetflexin posted it on sufu. I originally though it was by Undercover but he informed me it was actually a vintage piece purchased for a very low price. I was definitely envious of him but also respected him for having dedicated a serious amount of time to look for a piece like this. Inspired by his tale of blue leathers at bargain prices, I went on a hunt as well and was checking “blue leather rider” in my saved searches every day. This went on for 8 months where I found a few similar alternatives but at premium prices, until I was approached by Laurence who was looking to find another leather closer to his size. It turns out this leather matched my measurements exactly and so my hunt turned full circle.

When I received the jacket, I was immediately hit by how heavy the leather was, it is by far the heaviest jacket I own and the thickness of the leather matched the weight. I found the buffalo leather to be a bit dry as well so before wearing it, I used some Obenauf’s on it to restore it back to its original condition. Even though I went to a lot of effort to procure this jacket and to maintain it, it has paid off with a leather that I can call a true grail. From the diamond quilted shoulder and elbow details to the chunky yet smooth silver zips that contrast with the blue leather. The colour of the leather changes from a dark rich blue to a much brighter blue which I would describe as M&M blue. This jacket is not just a nice blue leather jacket to me, but also a result of a lot of patience and pure chance. As the amount of time I spent searching has proven, this jacket is a grail to me.

P.S The price that I paid for this also contradicts the idea that a exclusivity is neccesarily achieved through high price.

Photos and words by Jacob Hui.

For many more grail pieces be sure to check out his blog Indiana Jawnz.

The idea of hunting for grails or something you covet has been mentioned on this site before. However, my own take on it is that instead of a hunt, I do not have a precise target for what I want as I just have a design element which I look for and I wait patiently until appears before me that matches all those requisites. I would compare it to fishing where you’re never quite sure what will turn up.

In this case, this Undercover jacket has never really appeared in any photoshoots or runways and I was actually looking out for an Undercover down jacket with leather sleeves instead. The one detail which caught my eye straight away was the distressed leather on the sleeves which is amazingly soft in reality. When I received this jacket I was astounded by the construction as the leather sleeves are attached to the lining and the blazer body is actually deconstructed from a whole jacket as you can see the shoulder seams are not sealed.

The details on this jacket speaks to me of Jun Takahashi’s fondness for deconstructing and reconstructing clothing as the front blazer pockets have been modified with zips to reference motorcycle jackets.
As this jacket illustrates, the reward of a patience and an open mind-set, is a treasure that exceeds all expectations.

Photos and words by Jacob Hui. For many more grail pieces be sure to check out his blog Indiana Jawnz.

I am unsure of the exact time period that these Rick Owens trainers were released but I know that I have owned them since 2009 when I purchased them from another user on Superfuture. If I were to guess I’d say these sneakers date back to about 2007 and were some of the first iterations created. As time went on the trademark Rick Owens sneakers have undergone many versions but the original is still my favorite. There’s rumors that later sneakers abandoned the ‘swoosh-like’ check due to pressure from Nike but no official story has been reported.

These sneakers are near and dear to my heart and I could never let them go. They have seen their fair share of wear: scuffs, pen marks, and spilled drinks. The shoes are still feel substantial as ever and I feel the damage only adds to their character. I’ve gotten them re-soled twice now and will surely will have to again soon. There is something that is so compelling about the design of the sneakers that is difficult to place a finger on. The shoes are imperfect; simultaneously beautiful and slightly grotesque. In that way they are prime example of Mr.Owen’s design philosophy and a visual precursor to his later work.

After a some time away from wearing indigo denim, I’m back wearing it regularly. I started looking online for a pair of vintage jeans with a perfect fade. When I saw this pair of vintage Levi’s I knew I had to get em. I placed a bid through Yahoo Japan Auction and the help of the good folks over at SutoCorp proxy received them a few short days later.

I believe these shrink to fit US made Levi’s 501s date back to the 1960’s and the tag indicates that they were a Japanese import. Noticeable details include the redline selvedge and the old Big E LEVI’s branding. There’s been numerous tears on these jeans and as you can see from the pics; many repairs performed. My favorite aspect of these jeans is definitely the color of them. The wash down the front is perfect to me. The whiskering just compliments the faded indigo so well. It’s been some time since I’ve owned Levi’s but having the opportunity to own these helps me understand why vintage pairs are so coveted. It comes down to the feel of the denim which is substantial but not heavy and the understated look. I feel lucky to own something that is in a word, original.

I posted in September about the FW12 Nike Gyakusou footwear collection but now I am sharing photos of my personal pairs of Nike Gyakusou Lunarspider LT+2s from the Fall/Winter 2011 collection. After getting the purple pair I knew I wouldn’t be happy unless I had both colorways. The lunarspiders are built on the standard lunar sole but have Nike + and flywire technology built in to them making them a stylish and practical accompaniment to any running kit.

What these sneakers execute so well is the mixture of colors. The contrasting teal sole on the orange pair. The light blue patent hit on the back of the purple colorway. These sneakers pop without ever screaming for attention. My favorite detail on these sneakers is the gradient carbon fiber on the midsole.

I appreciate products that stand at the crossroads of aesthetics and function and that is probably why I cherish these pairs. To me their visual design tells the story of Gyakusou.

I got this pair of Skull Jeans by an Alchemist denim about 4 years ago. Since then they’ve seen countless wears and have just been put through a lot. These jeans are a slim tapered cut and a sturdy 14.5oz denim weight. The 6×6 refers to the denim thickness of the indigo warp and ecru weft.

When I first got these they were slightly used but in near-raw condition and I’ve since washed em about half a dozen times and taken them around the world with me. They’ve been through alot and despite their rips and tears I love these jeans more now than when they were still dark indigo.

I’ve heard people say that raw denim is played out in the current men’s market. The concept behind denim repro (reproduction) brands such as Skull Jeans is to pay homage to the denim manufacturing techniques of the past not to become trendy objects of desire. Artisanal jeans such as these are not cheap but once you wear a pair through to this point you will understand the appeal. I don’t think I could ever part with these jeans. Just looking at them reminds me of concerts I went to, people in my life, late nights spent partying and early morning workdays.

You can get a brand new pair of these same jeans for $345 at Blue in Greene.